The Commissioner of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) Matthew Varley has this week joined over 100 police chiefs from around the world for talks at the United Nations Chiefs of Police Summit held in New York, United States of America 20 – 21 June 2018.
The theme of the Summit was “Preventing Conflict, Saving Lives.” Police Chiefs gathered at the UN General Assembly to discuss peacekeeping challenges and the role of UN Police in conflict prevention and sustaining peace around the world. In particular, chiefs discussed the future roles and responsibilities of UN member states in providing highly skilled police officers to UN missions in global trouble spots.
Commissioner Varley says, “This is the first time that Solomon Islands has been represented at the UN Chiefs of Police Summit and is an important recognition that the RSIPF has graduated from being a recipient of external policing assistance to now providing support to other countries in times of need.”
“United Nations Police play crucial roles in conflict prevention, peace building, police reform and capacity building in troubled places around the world. With the RSIPF deploying officers to the United Nations, Solomon Islands is now taking its place on the world stage as a contributor to international peace efforts. This is a remarkable and substantial contribution by the RSIPF, which has emerged from the RAMSI era as a police force now capable of helping and training others around the region and the world,” says Commissioner Varley.
He adds: “Police Chiefs at the Summit also discussed the training and professional skills needed for police officers in future UN missions. These discussions highlighted the need for UN police to be skilled at conflict resolution, crime prevention and community-based dialogue. It is good news that RSIPF officers have particular expertise in these fields due to our experience and training under the Solomon Islands Crime Prevention Strategy. This places us in a strong position for future contributions to the UN.”
“It is timely that I am here at this Summit representing the Solomon Islands at the same time we are deploying three more RSIPF officers to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) this weekend. I am incredibly proud of all of our officers who have volunteered and been selected to deploy to the UN. They have stepped forward and are willing to serve away from their families in some of the toughest conditions in the world. For that we congratulate them and wish them a safe mission and we know that they will proudly represent Solomon Islands.”
“The United Nations has also strongly endorsed the critical role that women police officers play in peace building and conflict prevention and has requested member countries increase the number of women officers seconded to UN Missions around the world. I am particularly pleased we are deploying two outstanding RSIPF women to the UN this week, which is itself an historic milestone for Solomon Islands,” says Commissioner Varley.
Commissioner Varley’s travel to the UN Summit was supported by the Solomon Islands Police Development Program (SIPDP).
“I particularly thank Australia and the SIPDP for their continued support to the RSIPF, which made it possible for me to represent Solomon Islands at this important international event.”